Don't Leave
by CrackHead
Summary: Hermione and Draco finnaly find eachother and after some torment and angst, they become a couple. But the world isnt ready to accept them and at the final showdown, will Droco look past what is expected for him, and go with his heart?
1. I

Furious Passion  
  
Disclaimer: The other day, I walked down to the local Burger King to get a burger. As I passed the shops on the high streets, the incredible smell of freshly cooked prawns invaded my nostrils, but do you know why I couldn't go get them? No? Well I'll tell you. It's because it was 43 freaking bucks for a plate of 7. yeah. And nobody can afford that now, can they? OH! WAIT! J.K. Rowling can because she owns all these characters (apart from the ones I make up) and she can afford to. I think it gets a bit much when your worth more than the Queen...  
  
Chapter 1 -  
  
The Dream Team sat peacefully in their compartment in the rapidly moving Hogwarts Express. It was the 1st of September and it was the start of their fifth year. After their eventful and very dramatic 4th year, they had reached an unspoken understanding. Sitting in silence was just as enjoyable as the mindless babble commonly associated with the First Day Back. Occasionally, one would look up and make a comment about the passing scenery or about the noise from the next compartment. It was Ron who decided to break the silence.  
  
"So what did you get up to this summer, Hermione?"  
  
"Well, nothing really very interesting. We went on a tour of Europe. It was very educational actually. We visited the leaning tower of Pisa and I found out lots of interesting facts about it. Did you know.?" Hermione continued reeling off facts on the muggle artefacts of Europe. Ron found himself wishing he had never asked. He threw a pleading glance at Harry who sent him a look full of helpless amusement.  
  
"Ron? Ron! Are you even listening to me? Merlin's beard, Ron"  
  
"What? What!" Ron looked between Hermione's annoyed glare and Harry's silently laughing eyes. "I'm listening!"  
  
"So what did I just say?"  
  
".Um. was it something about the leaning tower of Pizza boxes?" At this point, Harry couldn't contain himself. He burst out laughing and even the look Hermione was throwing couldn't stop him. Why does Ron have to be such a jackass? Stop laughing you idiot! You're going to get stabbed with all those daggers coming from her eyes! Stop it!  
  
"Whoa! Ok I'm sorry. It was just so funny.The way Ron said.ok never mind."  
  
"I'm going to go find Ginny. Later." And with that, Hermione strolled out of the room and closed the compartment door with a satisfying bang.  
  
"What did we do? Was it something I said? You know, I really do not understand her."  
  
"If God intended us to understand women, Ron, do you think he would have invented hormones?" Ron smiled  
  
"No, I suppose not." It's not like there was any reason she should have gotten so upset...  
  
*  
  
"its like; I d-d-don't even know why I bother sometimes, Ginny. He ha-hasn't even noticed!"  
  
"Shh.It's ok Mione. My brother can be an idiot. In fact, scratch that. He is an idiot. Don't worry about him." Hermione took a deep breath to steady her voice and continued  
  
She had burst into the half full compartment and sought Ginny out. They had then gone to find an empty compartment and as soon as the door was closed, Hermione broke down. Ginny, who had known all about Hermione's crush on Ron ever since the Ball, was very sympathetic. She was the only one that knew and she planned to keep it that way although she had a sneaking suspicion that Harry and probably the rest of the Gryffindors had noticed something after the way Ron had reacted to Hermione and Krum. Hermione had now talked herself into a silence and Ginny suddenly had an all knowing grin on her face.  
  
"What? Do I have something in my teeth?" inquired a suddenly panicky Hermione.  
  
"No! Calm down Hermione. All I was going to say was that when Ron came home this summer past, all he could talk about was the fact that you were spending 2 weeks in Bulgaria, which, evidently you didn't. He said all this stuff about how he didn't deserve you and you should go somebody better. And when George got really fed up, he eventually said 'what like you?' and Ron started blushing furiously. So if I were you, I wouldn't be worrying."  
  
"Yeah, right. I'm not worrying. What's there to be worried about?"  
  
Outside it was getting dark. She had stayed in the empty compartment with Ginny and had lunch a few hours ago. In another couple of hours, they would be arriving at Hogwarts. There was a slight drizzle that had started in the afternoon and it had never quite seamed to clear.  
  
"Herms, we need to get changed. Did you bring your cloaks with you?"  
  
A look of confusion, then horror passed Hermione's face. "Oh no! I have I go back there and get it. Will you come with me?"  
  
Ginny sighed. She knew she would end up going anyway, even if she didn't agree to it. "Yes, ok. Let's go and get this over with."  
  
Hermione opened her mouth as if to say something then quickly changed her mind and turned towards the door. I really don't want to do this.She thought as she subconsciously smoothed out her hair. But why? Argued another voice in her head, it's not like he has a right to be keeping you out of that room. You have as much right to be in there as he does! Go get 'em girl!  
  
*  
  
Back in the boy's compartment, things were getting steamy. Dean and Seamus had decided to drop in and Parvati and Lavender had fallen suit. And what's the one thing that will happen when a mixed group of 15 year olds happen to all be in one room together? Spin The Bottle.  
  
"O.K. Harry, truth or dare?" asked Lavender  
  
"Um.."  
  
"I'll choose for you shall I? Dare, I think."  
  
"But.."  
  
"Ok Harry potter. I dare you to." Lavender paused and looked round the compartment frowning slightly. Her eyes then landed back on Harry and she suddenly brightened. You could almost see the light bulb switch on upstairs. Harry gulped.  
  
"I dare you to take of your shirt and keep It off till we get to school"  
  
"Ha! That's the easiest dare I've ever accepted in my life," Scoffed the Boy That Lived. Ack! said the sensible voice in his head. We're going to die if she sees our non existent pecks! No, actually, she'll die laughing when she sees your non existence *ahem* pecks if you will, said the cruel voice, overwriting the sensible one.  
  
"Well? Go on then, I'm- I mean, We're waiting!" said a breathlessly excited Lavender.  
  
How pathetic thought Ron as he looked at her shinning eyes as she watched Harry reluctantly pull his shirt off. She's all over him! He's probably not even getting the hint.If I was the mean and cruel person I am, I would step in right here and ask him has he seen a certain Ravenclaw 7th year lately.Ron's face cracked into an evil grin and he was just about to open his mouth and voice his thoughts when Dean suddenly averted his gaze to check out the rest of the players.  
  
"Ron? Ron, I don't like that look on your face.what are you plotting?"  
  
"What?" muttered Ron as he snapped back to it. "Oh, right, nothing. I was just thinking of new hexes for uh.Malfoy."  
  
"Oh. I see" said Dean but his eyes still showed a little suspicion.  
  
Meanwhile, Harry had taken his shirt off and Lavender was squealing in delight. This is going to be a long trip, thought Harry with a sigh.  
  
*  
  
The girls strode purposefully down the long narrow aisle and burst into the boys' compartment. Or what they thought was the boy's compartment. Oh no, thought Hermione, after I gave myself such a self confidence boost I go and waste it on the wrong person!  
  
"What do you want mudblood?" said an all too familiar voice. An all too familiar voice that belonged to a boy with all too familiar boy with platinum coloured hair.  
  
"Sorry, Malfoy. I didn't realise. I thought this was a different compartment. I didn't realise." Hermione faltered to a stop. So much for self confidence 101.  
  
"Well if you have no other business here, then get out. We wouldn't want your filthy mudblood germs polluting out lovely pure blood air would we?"  
  
Hermione froze as tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't even know why. It's not like he hadn't called her that before. It wasn't even that the whole compartment was staring at her with cold hatred in there eyes. And as Ginny hurriedly pulled her out of the compartment behind her, she didn't know that Draco's hand had twitched in Pansy's vice like grip because he had felt the sudden urge to wipe away the solitary tear that was falling down her porcelain face.  
  
*  
  
"Ok Ron, truth or dare?" asked Harry who was trying as hard as possible to look as though he was enjoying this mindless torture.  
  
"Hit me with a dare."  
  
"I dare you to.kiss Parvati."  
  
"What!" Hissed an enraged Ron. But before he could protest any further, Parvati had grabbed his head, swung it round to face her and planted a big wet one smack bang on target. Ron's whole system was in shock and so he couldn't move. Parvati took his not pulling away as an invite to come on in.  
  
"MM! MM!!!" yelled an indignant Ron as a plea for help but everybody was in too much shock to do anything but stare because right at that moment, Hermione walked in.  
  
*  
  
When Hermione was a little girl, her mother used to tell her that one day; the man she loved would come and sweep her off her feet, like a knight in shining armour. And they would fall in love and live happily ever after. And Hermione had believed her with all of her tiny little heart and she'd never forgotten it. Of course, over the years, she had realised that this was unlikely to happen but she still kept that twinkle of hope because something inside of her told her that if she just kept at it and persevered, she would get what she wished for eventually. She had waited a long time. And she was losing faith fast but somewhere for some reason she had a feeling that that faith would one day be crushed and she'd be left with nothing left. That day came the day she walked in on Ron kissing Parvati.  
  
"Uh.um.I'm sorry. I just need to get my things.my robes.in my bag. Merlin's beard! Why can't I talk like I'm not completely retarded? She thought in a panicky state. She hesitantly moved towards her trunk but kept her eyes glued on Parvati who was clamped onto Ron's torso like sticky glue and Ron himself who was struggling to pry her arms off him while simultaneously giving Hermione a look that said Sorry! It meant nothing. Really. But why would he be feeling guilty if there was nothing going on between us? And it's not like he was feeling anything for her. He hadn't shown any interest in her before.  
  
Ron meanwhile was thinking exactly the same thing. Why should I care? Why do I feel so guilty? We're not going out. I'm a free man! So why do I care?  
  
"Uh Hermione? Yeah, over hear honey" said a honey sweet voice, snapping her out of her Paranoia daze. Lavender clicked her perfectly manicured fingers to catch Hermione's attention. "Well as you may as noticed, we're kind of in the middle of something," she commented, stated the painfully obvious to Hermione. "So if you'd like to get your robes and be on your way, it would be much appreciated" She said in her sugar coated voice.  
  
Hermione was taken aback. There wasn't any need to be so rude... She retained her prim and proper posture. "Well yes, I'm sure you all wouldn't want me sitting here watching you play tonsil hockey with each other." Whoa.Where did that come from? She hastily gathered her robes and was about to turn away when Ron stopped her.  
  
"Look, Hermione we were just-" But she didn't want to hear it.  
  
"Ron...Just.Urgh!" And with as much dignity as she could muster, she turned and stormed out and close the door behind her with a bang that could be heard in Diagon Alley.  
  
The room was silent for a few moments before Ron spoke up.  
  
"Erm...What's hockey?  
  
HEY! This is my first Fic, so please review. But I'm not one of those people who say I'll only update when you make 15 reviews or whatever. But please do review! Constructive criticism allowed! But if you don't like it fluffy, don't read because its how I like it. No flames!  
  
~C~ 


	2. II

C Chapter 2 - It starts with a whisper  
  
A/N: Ok people, I know the knew book came out on Saturday, but I'm going  
to continue like it never happened.ok? I might kill somebody, but it  
won't be too upsetting and you won't know the person.very well at  
least.Anyway, Read, Relax and Review! Oh and Before I Forget, Anna  
Cameron was on of the two people that helped me with this fic. Bev is  
the other one! Sorry it took so long to update. Exams and all that.  
Anyway! On with the show!  
  
The horseless carriage drew up to the vast castle before them. Hermione,  
being one of the 8 prefects, had to ride in the special carriage waiting  
for them. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she was forced to sit  
with the Slytherin fifth year prefect. She had been curious as to who it  
was going to be but not long after she was seated, the door opened an a  
curiously familiar hand griped the seat beside her to hoist itself up  
and she discovered that she'd rather not know any more.  
Draco Malfoy. This was the second time in five hours that she had to be  
within a ten metre radius of him and it was already turning into a freak  
occurrence for her. She turned back to the rain streaked window and  
tried to ignore what she knew was coming next. But from experience, she  
was ready for his oh so original greeting.  
  
"What are you doing here mudblood?" he sneered.  
  
"Same thing you are, ferret boy," she retorted, never missing a beat.  
  
"Well la-de-da Granger, glad to see you've come up with some new insults  
to throw at me. Because, you know it would just get boring if you called  
me the same thing over and over again" To Hermione's amusement, he had a  
miniscule note of hurt and mortification in his voice. It seemed the  
memory of last years thrashing was still raw and picked at.  
  
"Well, Malfoy, I could say the same about you. Mudblood's not exactly  
hot and fresh outta the kitchen, so I could say the same about you," she  
threw back at him, still not turning from the window.  
  
"Yeah, well my accusations are valid. You are a filthy mudblood and a  
filthy mudblood is all you'll ever be. You will be nothing in this world  
even if the Dark Lord does demise. God forbid that happen." Draco  
internally bit his tongue. He'd said too much and he knew it.  
Thankfully, Hermione hadn't noticed his slip up.  
  
"Malfoy, seeing as you lack human decency, seemingly because you are  
devil spawn, please refrain from talking to me. I'm tired of wasting my  
breath on people like you. I have better things to do with my time."  
  
"Oh Granger, please, stop!" cried an indignant Draco putting on a very  
fake high pitched voice, "I think I'm going to cry!"  
  
Hermione turned round for the first time since he got into the carriage  
and gave him a long penetrating stare. She swiftly leaned over so she  
was but a hair's breadth away from his face and whispered furiously, "If  
you only knew what kind of things people like you do to our world, you  
would stop and think. Open your eyes Malfoy, the world does not revolve  
around you. Being the person your going to turn out to be, is nothing to  
be proud of and there is absolutely nothing to be gained from it. I hope  
when your old and wizened and your looking back on your pitiful life,  
you feel the pain that others dealt with, because then, and only then  
will you know what it's like to cry."  
  
And with that she snapped her head round and clambered out of the  
stationary cart.  
*  
"All I'm saying Harry, is that she didn't have to get so upset," said  
Ron as they sat in the middle of the Gryffindor Table waiting for the  
Sorting to begin. "It's not like I haven't tuned out on one of her  
ramblings before. She knows that, right?"  
  
"Er.right.." mumbled a vague Harry as his eyes unwillingly wandered over  
to the head's table where the new sixth year Ravenclaw was sitting.  
Ron raised a slightly accusing flame orange eyebrow at him once he  
followed his gaze and saw what he was staring at.  
  
"Harry, man.you're a dog."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Because after that whole episode on the train, Lavender's practically  
expecting you to ask her out." Ron grinned slightly at the look on  
Harry's suddenly panicky face.  
  
"What! Why!  
  
Ron smirked and pointed down the table towards the end. "Take a look for  
yourself, mate."  
Harry paled visibly at what he saw next. Lavender and Parvati where  
looking right at him. As soon as they realised that they had been  
caught, they giggled in an extremely girlish manner and pretended to be  
eating their dinner when in reality, they were watching him like a hawk  
out of the corner of their eyes.  
  
"I think.I'm going to be sick."  
  
Ron chortled as he watched his face pale further until he was left  
looking rather pallid.  
  
"Having Lavender fancy the pants off you isn't that bad, mate. She is  
one of the best looking girls in the school right? You want to let it  
down to her gently, right? Well.it's not hard at all, done it plenty of  
times myself. See what you have to do, is catch her while she's still in  
a good mood. Don't want any suicides on your hands, see. Then-" Ron was  
cut off by an increasingly impatient Harry. Boy, these red heads could  
really ramble.  
  
"No, you idiot! Look whose sitting down next to Mione at the Head's  
table?" Taken aback by Harry's sudden outburst of rudeness, it took a  
moment longer for Ron to focus on what Harry was starting slack jawed  
at. When the realisation sunk in, he gasped almost inaudibly.then  
paled.then turned a slight shade of green..then pale grey.then  
finally.purple with yellow dots (AN Joking! I'm joking.just a bit of  
humour.) Finally, he turned a nice tomato colour and started to shake  
subconsciously as his hands balled and unballed under the mahogany  
table.  
  
"Him.." He hissed through his nose. "Why I oughta." Before he could  
lunge the some forty meters or so across to the other side of the hall -  
  
"Have you heard about the New Girl?" interrupted an over enthusiastic  
Dean.  
  
"No, who is it?" asked Ron, who although had been momentarily side  
tracked from his earlier task of flying across the hall, still had his  
eyes glued on the now bickering prefects.  
  
"I don't know, some girl from Ireland. She's in fifth year."  
  
"Really? Is she good looking? What's her name, I might know her." asked  
a now interested Seamus.  
  
"Hey Seamus," called a seriously infuriated Parvati, "don't let your  
tongue start hanging, or people will start finding out your little  
secret. Wait a minute!" She gasped and brought a dainty coffee coloured  
hand to her mouth. "Is that a tail I see wagging at your backside?!  
Glory be.well.Looks like its too late for secrets!" She raised a  
perfectly plucked eyebrow at them and Dean had to cough to hide a  
snigger.  
  
"Ok.I'm totally pushing your ignore button right about now." said Seamus  
and help his hand up to Parvati's face. She proceded to slap it away and  
told Seamus where he could go stuff his head.  
  
"What's wrong with all these girls today?" asked the deeply confused red  
head. Harry and Seamus smirked deviously and both said -  
  
"PMS"  
  
"PMS? What in Merlin's beard is that? "  
  
"Ah.fickle Ronnikins.,, what ever shall we do with you? We'll tell you  
when you're older." Fred and George laughed as they sat down on beside  
Ron, who had previously been sitting at the end of their little group.  
Harry snorted loudly and then tried to disguise it as a horribly  
disfigured cough. Ron was not fazed.  
  
"What do you mean you'll tell me when I'm older? I want to know now! Why  
are you all smiling at me like that! I-want-to-know-NOW!"  
  
"Ah Ron..just shut yer trap," said Seamus, who was starting to get  
impatient.  
  
"Yeah, Ron. I want to finish here. Have I got your attention yet? Yes?  
Good. Ok. Well, as I told you, she's coming from Ireland, and she is  
supposed to have a Pen Pal in this school. I've been trying to find out  
who it is since I found all this out."  
  
"Well who did you find this out from, then?" asked Harry who had  
momentarily forgotten to Hermione, which would later be much to his  
shame.  
  
"Ah..Harry Potter." said Dean putting on an imitation of Professor  
Trelawney, "the inner eye sees what ye may miss in the haste of  
hindrance.."  
  
"Dean, mate.that makes absolutely no sense at all." said Harry, whose  
brow was still furrowed from trying to figure out what on earth that  
meant.  
  
"Yep, I know. But pretty much all I wanted to say was: mind your own, I  
have my sources."  
They continued with this mindless babbly about the New Girl until  
Harry thought of something. .  
  
"Hey, do you know when she's coming? The sorting ceremony's finished. So  
it couldn't have been then. We would have noticed. Right?  
  
"That's a very good question. I have no idea," said Seamus.  
  
"Maybe she flood in.but can you do that from so far away?" asked Ron.  
  
"You'd need to ask Hermione about that one. She's the one that knows  
Hogwarts: A History better than the back of her hand.  
  
"Well, if she was talking to me, I would. Just can't win with her." His  
gaze drifted back over to Hermione and he saw with some satisfaction  
that she was bickering animatedly with Malfoy and he was being out  
numbered 9 to one.  
  
".Erm.So.Harry.how's the Firebolt doing?" said subject changer: Dean.  
  
"Oh! Yes, it's great. I took it out when I was at Ron's, and it's  
running just as smoothly as I hoped it would. Still flies like brand  
new. We are going to cream Slytherin this year in the House Cup. I can  
just feel it." said Harry, who had noticed Dean's subject changing and  
had taken full advantage of it.  
  
"But Harry, we always beat those slimy gits, what's making it different  
this year?"  
  
"See this year, my friend, it's going to be a sweeter victory, because  
guess who's the captain?" Harry asked, a huge grin creeping upon his  
face.  
  
"Who?" asked Ron, who was as per usual confused.  
  
"Good God, Ron," said Dean, "Have a bit of wit about you. Why would  
Harry look so excited if the captain wasn't going to be anybody else  
but." He tailed off, waiting for Ron to finish his statement.  
Ron furrowed his brow in deep concentration, and his eye began to  
twitch. You could almost see the rusty cogs creaking to a painfully slow  
start after the long summer break. It was almost paining him. Two months  
was just too long.  
  
"Does it hurt very much, mate?" Ron let out a compressed breath and  
collapsed his head onto his folded arms.  
  
"Man, you have no idea." They chuckled understandably and turned towards  
the teachers table where Dumbledore had stood, and was waiting for  
everybody's complete and undivided attention.  
  
"Welcome, welcome all, to another school year. I have a few  
announcements to make before I let you go on with your feast. The first  
being rather morbid, but alas, that indeed is life." There was an almost  
audible tensing in the whole hall as they prepared themselves for what  
they knew was coming next.  
  
"As you all undoubtedly know, there was a horrific death at the end of  
the last school term; Cedric Diggory." He paused and looked sadly about  
the vast room as frenzied whispering started and a few people from other  
houses looked over at Harry and then quickly turned back towards  
Dumbledore as he continued,  
  
"In light of this, we have places a memorial out in the meadow by the  
lake. There shall also be a service held to commemorate his death on  
October 3rd. All those wishing to pay last respects are most welcome to  
attend." There was a pregnant but somewhat comprehending pause before  
the great wizard took another deep breath and started to speak once  
more.  
  
"On a lighter note, Mr Filch has asked me to inform you that screeching  
fire Frisbees have been banned. I do believe this brings the list of  
forbidden items to a total of 793." He beamed as there was slight  
laughter especially the group surrounding and including the Weasly  
Twins.  
  
"My next announcement of the evening is to announce to you the new  
prefects and heads." He took out an old battered scroll and began to  
read from it.  
  
"Fifth year prefects - Hermione Granger from Gryffindor, Justin Fitch  
Fletchley from Hufflepuff, Celia-Rose Blackwater from Ravenclaw and  
Draco Malfoy from Slytherin. Sixth year Prefects - Orla McFarland from  
Gryffindor, Thomas Bluehearth from Hufflepuff, Cho Chang from Ravenclaw  
and Marcus Flint from Slytherin. The Head Boy and Head Girl this year  
are Sarah Hastings from Slytherin and George Weasly from Gryffindor.  
There was a shocked gasp in the audience as they swivelled round in  
their seats to get a better view of the 2 cool calm and collected  
Gryffindor boys. Dumbledore smiled at this foreseen reaction.  
  
"Although Mr Weasly has been awarded this role, I must say, his twin  
brother and himself have passed their end of year exams with identically  
outstanding results and seeing as one always seems to be where the other  
is, it would be rather unfair to leave on brother out of this once in a  
life time experience. Therefore, I have decided to let both young men  
share this roll." Dumbledore beamed.  
  
There was a stunned silence and likewise smiles all around the hall with  
the exception of the inhabitants of the Slytherin table, who once wore  
smirks of conceit were now whispering deviously to one another, throwing  
dark looks over their shoulders towards the Gryffindor table.  
  
"My final announcement of the evening is to tell you that we have a new  
addition to our merry group of education. As some of you may have heard  
through the er.Grapevine, so to speak, there shall be a fifth year  
student transferring from Enniskillen Witches Academy. Her name is Su-  
Lang Chang and she will arrive tomorrow morning. She shall be sorted  
during breakfast. I look to the fifth year prefects to see to it that  
she becomes acquainted with her new surroundings.  
  
"Before I let you eat, may I ask the prefects and the heads to come see  
me back here in the hall after taking the first years to the houses.  
Now! Tuck in!!" And he sat, and did exactly that. Harry froze in shock  
as did quite a few of the male population as they saw the reaction at  
the Ravenclaw table. Cho had decided to say hello to her friends and  
most of them were now talking to her quite animatedly to her after the  
last announcement...Su-Lang Chang...Chang. it finnaly clicked and Harry  
could have kicked himself.  
  
She was a relative of Cho's!  
*  
  
"Hey you guys, I'm sorry about what happened on the train, I  
overreacted. I guess I should have known by now hey?" said Hermione to  
the boys as she sat down in the space they had made for her. She had had  
enough of constantly bickering with Malfoy and had begun to feel the  
beginnings of a migraine. Merlin's nose.how was she going to survive a  
whole year sharing a common room with him?!  
  
Harry smiled good naturedly. "It's fine, Mio, we're the ones that should  
be apologising." Hermione cringed at the New Nickname.  
  
"Ha! Well, if anybody other than me should be sorry, it definitely isn't  
you," she said, looking vaguely in the direction of her dear red-headed  
friend. Ron merely rolled his eyes and looked like he was going to come  
out with a smart ass comment, but at the last second, seemed to think  
better of it. Instead, he smiled silently, and turned himself towards  
Hermione. He began to grin inwardly when she flinched slightly as he  
picked up her pale hand with elegent long fingers and started to stroke  
it rhythmically with his free hand.  
  
"Hermione, Hermione, of fair Hermione.Could thee ever forgive an  
undeserving disgraceful warthog such as I? For I wronged greatly against  
you and I deserve nothing more, than to be hurled into the dark dingy  
dungeons below, sweet lady. But I pray thee to ponder hard as loosing  
thou's best friend would be a great emotional devastation and I cannot  
help but admire your best friends. Both of them. But the flame haired  
one especially. So I come here, today, milady, seeking forgiveness and  
understanding.maybe a peck on the cheek but I am worth nothing more than  
a mouldy carcass, waiting to be dumped into the river." He looked up  
suddenly, his eyes dancing with mischief, "but only at your command.fair  
sweet princess." There was a loud thud, as Harry fell of his chair,  
gasping for breath as he laughed at Ron's speech. Hermione stared wide  
eyed at him and then at the rest of Gryffindor table who had all fallen  
silent.  
  
"Uh.right.you're forgiven.get up. Please.now."she mumbled as she  
snatched Harry's bowl from him and started eating his banoffee pie very  
self-consciously.  
  
"Ah.Ron.that's one of your best yet.man.Phew!" gasped Harry as he  
climbed back onto his chair. "I don't think Hermione liked it very much  
though.Look at her face. It's gone a nice tomatoey colour! Where's  
Colin? Can he take a picture for us? Ah.this is a Kodak moment..  
  
"A Ko-Who moment?" asked a furthermore confused Ron.  
  
"Shut up, both of you." Said fire truck red Hermione. She started  
stabbing the innocent pie, when suddenly Harry realised he'd been  
nicked.  
  
"Hermione! That's my pie!! And furthermore, you're sabotaging it! There  
is a big plate of that, right there!" he explained, rather  
exasperatedly. Hermione smiled slyly to the plate.  
  
"Yes but Harry, this piece looks so much better! Or rather, looked." she  
chewed the side of her lip and looked down at the pie as if accusing it  
for becoming mush. "Besides," she continued, " You said it yourself,  
there is a big plate of the stuff right there! So get another plate."  
She grinned, something that wasn't seen too often.  
  
"So, how is staying with Malfoy then?" asked Harry, as he picked up a  
clean bowl and reached for the massive platter of pie.  
  
"He's being an insufferable git as usual. Why, oh WHY do we have to  
share a tower.?"  
  
"WHAT? Since when?" bellowed Ron, earning a few raised eyebrows from  
neighbouring Gryffindors.  
  
"Oh, Dumbledore said something in the letter about it being more  
appropriate. It's where the Prefect meetings and stuff are going to be  
held. Much handier. But anyway. He's being even more annoying that I  
thought he could ever be. He picks out any little thing that I do and  
ridicules it till there's nothing left to poke.it's terrible. She sighed  
and pushed Harry's now empty bowl away, and snatched Ron's out of his  
waiting arms.  
"What the-!"  
  
"Well, Herms...all I can tell you is not to dwell on it. After years of  
fighting with him, I can justly say that I have strength no more.  
Hermione, if you let him get to you, then he'll have achieved his goal.  
I should really know.I mean.with all the detentions he's caused me when  
I lost my cool. But anyway. Just ignore him. It's what you've been  
telling me to do all these past years." he trailed off with a shrug and  
turned back to his lemon cheese cake. Hermione gave him a shrewd look  
and then dipped back into Ron's blueberry cheesecake. Ron raised an  
eyebrow.  
  
"Bit peckish today are we, Hermione?" Hermione laughed and dropped the  
fork into the now empty bowl.  
  
"Ron, Harry, I have to dash. The feast is almost over. I have to take  
the first years up." She licked her lips and stood up from the table.  
  
"D'ya want me and Harry to come with you and beat Malfoy to a bloody  
pulp once the teachers have their backs turned?" Ron asked sweetly.  
Hermione laughed.  
  
"You two are like over-protective big brothers." one of which I've  
fallen hard for. "I'm a big girl now. I'll slap him if he tries anything  
funny ok?" Hermione compromised. The boys laughed as they remembered the  
incident in third year where she had done just that. Hermione walked to  
the table slowly, looking at the four house tables around her. Three of  
the four of them seemed to be chatting care free to the world and all  
its troubles. They lived for the day, and were ready for tomorrow. Then  
she glanced over to the Slytherin table, where everybody seemed to be  
talking about something serious, brooding and morbid. It pained her to  
see that house unity existed only in the other three houses.  
  
"So, Granger, does it pain you to have to leave your two boyfriends all  
the way over there at the other side of the hall?" sneered the all-too-  
familiar-all-too-soon Slytherin boy.  
  
"What's it to you, Albino boy? Jealous?" She wasn't taking any crap from  
him this year. But he had different ideas in mind. He caught her wrist  
as it moved to brush a stray tendril of unruly mahogany hair.  
  
"Don't ever call me that again, do you understand?" He narrowed his eyes  
so they were nothing more than slits. Hermione raised an eyebrow and  
wrenched her arm free. She then proceeded to brush off her robes  
casually. She made sure not to look anywhere near him.  
  
"Don't you ever touch me again Malfoy, do you hear?" she said, never  
once glancing up from her needless spot check of her robes. Draco looked  
stunned for a moment at her out of character behaviour. But he was quick  
to recover.  
  
"Like I'd ever want to touch you anyway, you ugly, disgustingly filthy  
little mudblood." He turned back to the table. Hermione froze, mid sweep  
and raised her head to gaze at Malfoy with a thoughtful look about her.  
  
"You know Malfoy, if having a soul was vital to live, you'd be long gone  
and six foot under. And don't even kid yourself because it certainly  
wouldn't be daisies you push up." And without another word, she got up  
and went to sit at the far end of the table.  
  
The respect demanding Slytherin sighed. Why did it suddenly feel so cold  
one she had left?  
*  
Back in the room Hermione shared with Pricilla, Hermione was happy. She  
sighed lightly-almost inaudibly to those who would be listening-and  
turned on her side as she lay in her queen size four poster bed.  
  
"I'm finally back where I belong. I'm home." She thought dreamily as  
sleep threatened to sacrifice her to the night.  
  
Unawares, in a room several feet away from Hermione, Draco Malfoy was  
thinking exactly the same thing.  
  
"A place for everything and everything in its place." they whispered to  
themselves in unison.  
  
"Or everyone.." Spoke their minds in perfect harmony.  
  
Almost twice as long as the last chapter. Don't expect them all to be  
like this! I'd like to thank:  
Hufflepuff_Student8  
Carmen and  
Mene_Malfoy  
You guys have been very kind in your reviews. I hope you stuck around.Oh  
and before I forget again, does anybody know how to do the HTML tags and  
stuff? I just cannot get my head around it. Email me or review with your  
tips and stuff.Thanks! 


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